While questioning him, the suspect charged Tupac-Yupanqui with a board, Wilkins said.

"Tupac drew his asp baton and the suspect decided to drop the wood and pulled the knife," Wilkins said. Officer Nathaniel Kirkland and Cpl. Janessa Stalter arrived to find the suspect wielding a six-inch folding knife.

The officers attempted to grab the knife and a struggle followed.

During that struggle, one of the officers sprayed the man with pepper spray, Wilkins said.

The man escaped the officers' grasp and charged Tupac-Yupanqui "in an aggressive manner while swinging the knife," the report says. The man yelled, "shoot me" as he ran, the report says.

Tupac-Yupanqui fired two shots, striking the man once in the abdomen, according to the report.

Paramedics rushed Mantooth to Memorial.

Tupac-Yupanqui, who has been on the force for almost three years, is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation. Department policy states any officer who uses deadly force must be placed on leave during the investigation.

Kirkland and Stalter drew their weapons, but did not fire. They are not under investigation, Wilkins said.

Interim Chief Willie Lovett said his officer was justified in firing.

"Our officers are trained very well to use the force continuum. In this situation, it was necessary," Lovett said. "The officer was quite frankly in fear of his life."

Tupac-Yupanqui is a member of the department's Crisis Intervention Team, which is trained to de-escalate situations involving people in mental health crises.

Tupac-Yupanqui relied on his training, but it didn't work, Lovett said.

"If you encounter someone who pulls a gun or a knife on you, I don't think you're going to sit there and talk him out of shooting you," Lovett said.